FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] HSR: Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch (02 Nov 2002) Raptor counts (total=312)

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Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, VA, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 02, 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV                           0              0              0
TV                           0              0              0
OS                           1              1            100
BE                           0              0             14
NH                           2              2             40
SS                          49             49            647
CH                          12             12             94
NG                           1              1              5
RS                           9              9             17
BW                           0              0           3650
RT                         238            238            460
RL                           0              0              0
GE                           0              0              2
AK                           0              0            100
ML                           0              0              6
PG                           0              0             22
MK                           0              0              1
UA                           0              0              4
UB                           0              0             10
UF                           0              0              5
UE                           0              0              0
UR                           0              0             18

Total:                     312            312           5195
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Observation start time: 08:30:00 
Observation end   time: 15:45:00 
Total observation time: 7.25 hours

Site Coordinator: Brenda Tekin

Observers:        Brenda Tekin

Visitors:


Phil Kenny along with several other participants of Virginia Bluebird
Association.


Weather:
Wind WNW 1-5 km/h changing to SW by 1 p.m. and increasing to 12-19 km/h
Temp:  (high) 13 c; low at 8:30 a.m. - 4 c
Humidity: 27% increasing to 39% by 11 a.m. and dropping back down to 30 by
3:30.
Bar. Pressure:  1014
Cloud Cover:  one one cloud, only an occasional contrail
Morning haze that cleared up by early afternoon.

Observations:
Steady stream of RT's with 113 between 2 - 3:30.  Some came through 4 to 6
at a time and one group of 8. All no more than 1 - 1.5 glasses up from top
of ridge making for relatively easy spotting.  Quite a few, in fact, came
through well below eye level.  

At 12:50 p.m. two observers were buzzed by a subadult No. Goshawk.  It was
first spotted by visitor Phil Kenny from Vienna.  It came in low heading
south a short distance from observation deck.  It flew up and then turned
before swooping down toward us within 20 feet. Beautiful checkered pattern
on underside of wings.  Several individuals who were inside enjoying the
scenery while eating lunch were thrilled with this unexpected visitor. 

Tundra Swan - flock of 26 early morning heading ESE
Eastern Bluebird - one flock of 6
Golden Crowned Kinglet - a single bird flew into the glass door and
immediately fell to the patio and went belly up.  I went over to it and
saw that it was still breathing but not moving.  Taking off my knit cap I
gently picked it up and placed cap and bird atop a stone wall out in the
sunshine.  Several of us marvled at its bright colorful markings, from the
yellow in the wings and tail to the yellow cap and small dollop of bright
orange on top of the head. I took quite a few photos before it recovered
enough to fly off.  

Check out web site for few of the pictures: 
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/Golden_Crowned_Kinglet
========================================================================
Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (bt8x@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch


***Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA - Established 1976***
The Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch is held on the grounds of the Inn at Afton, located 
on the southern side of Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just above 
where I-64 (exit 99) intersects with the southern end of the Skyline Drive and 
the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just east of Waynesboro, VA and 
approximately 22 miles west of Charlottesville, VA.  

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